Flight Safety Information
February 19, 2016 - No. 036
In This Issue
PROS 2016 TRAINING
Bell - 206 Helicopter Accident (Pearl Harbor, HI)
Baldwin Aviation, SOS Team on Aviation Safety Program
Southwest Airlines pilot taken into custody for carrying weapon
Spirit Airlines triggered the most complaints
IATA says Bangkok airport a safety risk, needs urgent expansion
Atlanta airport GM to TSA: Get your act together or you're out
Looming shortage of aircraft maintenance staff (Australia)
European air safety body confirms safety of flights over Black Sea, Crimea remains closed
Call for papers for ISASI 2016, Iceland, 17 to 20 October 2016
Fewer flights out of Tulsa expected due to pilot shortage
Subject: Additional Training Courses Available at 2016 CHC Safety & Quality Summit
UW scientists team up with Big Oil to develop renewable jet fuel
Boeing wins $450 million jet order from PNG's national carrier
MU-2 Pilot's Review of Proficiency (PROP) Training
RESEARCH SURVEY...MENTAL HEALTH & FLYING SURVEY
Bell - 206 Helicopter Accident (Pearl Harbor, HI)
Date:
18-FEB-2016
Time:
c10:25 LT
Type:
Bell 206B JetRanger
Owner/operator:
Genesis Aviation
Registration:
N80918
C/n / msn:
2687
Fatalities:
Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities:
0
Airplane damage:
Substantial
Location:
Near Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, HI - United States of America
Phase:
En route
Nature:
Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:
Honolulu Int'l (PHNL)
Destination airport:
Narrative:
Authorities in Honolulu say one person is in critical condition after a helicopter crashed in the water near Pearl Harbor.
It appears to have been on approach possibly for a precautionary landing.
Registration tbc but may be N80918 (the only aircraft illustrated on the operator's website).
Two occupants minor injuries.
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=184620
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Baldwin Aviation, SOS Team on Aviation Safety Program
Aviation safety firms Baldwin Aviation and Safety Operating Systems (SOS) have teamed to provide a "360-degree safety program" for business aircraft operators. Dubbed BaldwinSOS, the suite offers additional a la carte
services that further enhance and support safety, they said.
The partnership combines Baldwin's expertise in aviation safety data collection with SOS's flight data management/flight operations quality assurance (FDM/FOQA) to raise the bar and simplify a client's safety programs, the
companies said. "We believe we are raising the standard for safety in the industry to an even higher level," said Baldwin president Don Baldwin.
"BaldwinSOS now makes FOQA and FDM more readily available to Baldwin clients, whose data monitoring will now be incorporated into their Baldwin portal," said SOS president John Cox, a process that "ensures that
maximum information is gained from the data and recorded in monthly reports that provide operators with clear information on their flight operations. Trend data within the monthly report will also highlight critical safety
trends and allow early mitigation."
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2016-02-18/baldwin-aviation-sos-team-aviation-safety-program
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Southwest Airlines pilot taken into custody for carrying weapon
SAN ANTONIO -- A Southwest Airlines flight never made it from Mexico City to San Antonio after the pilot was taken into custody for carrying a weapon.
State Representative of District 119, Roland Gutierrez, was aboard Southwest Airlines flight 318 on Wednesday afternoon. He said the airline told passengers that the flight was cancelled because of an immigration issue.
Gutierrez said a security guard later told them that Mexican officials took the pilot into custody.
"I think Southwest Airlines is negligent. They have to answer to 100 people that they didn't tell the truth to," Gutierrez said. "From a policy perspective, as a state legislator, it concerns me that pilots are allowed to travel in
the United States with weapons."
Under the TSA's Federal Flight Deck Officer Program, pilots have been trained and sworn as law officers to carry gun aboard flights. The TSA says the program was designed to protect passengers and deter hijackings. But
Gutierrez said that armed pilots won't make an aircraft any safer.
"God forbid something happens to this loaded weapon while this pilot is in flight. God forbid that someone other than him gets a hold of it," Gutierrez added. "It's a hope that some of my colleagues on the federal level will take
this as an issue that is important to their constituency, that, you know, unbeknownst to them, their pilot might be traveling with a loaded weapon in the United States."
Southwest Airlines sent a statement in response to the incident:
"We are aware of a situation involving a Southwest Pilot that occurred at Mexico City International Airport (MEX) on Wednesday afternoon. We are cooperating with all relevant agencies. We have no other details to provide at
this time."
http://www.kens5.com/story/news/2016/02/18/southwest-airline-flight-pilot-gun-custody-mexico/80590610/
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Spirit Airlines triggered the most complaints
Talk about a patch of rough air.
According to a new report from the Department of Transportation, Spirit Airlines last year had the worst on-time arrival record of 13 U.S. carriers. What's more, the low-cost airline also had the highest rate of consumer
complaints over that time span.
The transportation department's data, released Thursday, showed that 11.73 out of every 100,000 customers who flew Spirit last year complained about some aspect of their experience. That rate was dramatically higher than
the industry's overall complaint rate of 1.9 per 100,000 fliers, the DOT said.
Spirit's performance may also explain why the overall complaint rate for airlines was up 47 percent last year, although the industry had more on-time arrivals, did a better job handling bags, and bumped fewer passengers
from oversold flights.
Travelers wait in line to enter the security area at the Portland International Airport on Nov. 12, 2014.
This airport ranked worst for satisfaction
'
The DOT did not include Spirit in its industry complaint calculations before 2015. Spirit has not yet responded to CNBC's requests for comment.
Of the 2,069 complaints filed by Spirit passengers, the DOT said the largest percentage were related to flight problems. They were followed by reservation, ticketing, and boarding issues, and then baggage complaints.
Last spring, Spirit added non-stop service to 10 new destinations. That expansion and the pressure it put on the airline's margins were part of a rocky 2015 for the carrier, with Ben Baldanza, who led Spirit's rapid growth for
years, being replaced as CEO last month.
Despite Spirit's woes, the DOT said the industry's overall on-time arrival rate of 79.9 percent was the best since 2012.
To see the full list of the most on-time U.S. airlines, see below.
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/18/spirit-airlines-triggered-the-most-complaints.html
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IATA says Bangkok airport a safety risk, needs urgent expansion: report
BANGKOK - Chinese tourists receive souvenirs from airport officers as part of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thailand, February 5, 2016. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned that Bangkok's main Suvarnabhumi Airport is a safety risk, with "serious" overcrowding soon to become a critical issue, and urgent expansion needed, the Nation
daily reported on Friday.
Thailand is under pressure to improve its aviation standards after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration downgraded the country's safety ratings in December last year.
"There are also safety concerns on the airport's tarmac, taxiways and apron area because of soft spots," IATA director-general and chief executive officer Tony Tyler said.
"Aircraft get stuck in the soft surface due to substandard materials," he told the newspaper in an interview in Bangkok, after returning from the Singapore Airshow.
Thailand's aviation industry is under scrutiny after the U.N.'s International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) downgraded the country in June 2015, giving it a red flag for missing a deadline to tackle safety concerns.
This week, the Thai civil aviation authority said a review by ICAO was likely to be delayed until early 2017 because it needed more time to improve the qualification of Thai auditors.
Tyler said the airport, which handles 52 million passengers each year, had a significant regional and global role but needed urgent expansion of its terminal capacity, the Nation said.
"It was designed to handle 45 million passengers annually, but it exceeds that today and traffic is still growing at an annual 10 percent rate," he said.
"Overcrowding is a serious issue that will become critical quickly," Tyler said.
The IATA represents almost 260 airlines, accounting for 83 percent of global air traffic.
Thai airport operator Airports of Thailand said it was aware of the problems flagged by IATA and has readied several measures to improve runways using concrete and expand capacity, which are awaiting government approval.
"We have prepared short- to medium- and long-term plans to solve the problems," Sirote Duangratana, general manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, told Reuters.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iata-thailand-airport-idUSKCN0VS11Z
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Atlanta airport GM to TSA: Get your act together or you're out
Thursday, the main checkpoint slammed with lines backed up forever, but up front, only eight of the 18 screening lanes were staffed with TSA agents, while the rest sat empty.
ATLANTA - The general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is calling out the TSA over too few screeners and growing passenger wait times at the airport's checkpoints.
Anyone who has flown out of Hartsfield-Jackson lately understands passengers' frustration.
Channel 2 investigative reporter Aaron Diamant obtained a letter from a source, written by the airport's general manager, telling the TSA to get their act together or we're going to get rid of you.
"As much money as comes through this airport, I think it's ridiculous," traveler Jappara Brouchet told Diamant.
Brouchet was just one of thousands Diamant found Thursday feeling the pain of growing wait times at the airport's TSA screening checkpoints at the height of the afternoon rush.
Diamant said he saw the main checkpoint slammed with lines backed up quite a distance, but up front, only eight of the 18 screening lanes were staffed with TSA agents, while the rest sat empty.
With 30 to 60 minute backups becoming more common, the airport's boss says he's is totally over it.
Through Diamant's sources, he obtained the terse letter airport general manager Miguel Southwell fired off to TSA's top brass in Washington this week.
He wrote that the airport, "struggled with TSA staffing shortfalls in 2015, and the airport is dreading the outcome of summer 2016."
With record-breaking passenger counts this year, TSA did beef up staffing by more than seven percent but in his letter, Southwell said, "This increase --while appreciated--was late and inadequate," and "things appear to be
only getting worse."
Southwell then put the TSA on notice, saying the agency has 60 days to get its act together or the airport will bring in its own qualified private contractors to man the checkpoints.
"Are you on board with this plan?" Diamant asked Sen. Johnny Isakson.
"Oh, yeah, absolutely," Isakson said.
He told Diamant he flies out of Hartsfield at least once a week.
"It's frustrating to you, isn't it?" Diamant asked Isakson.
"It is and when you're on a tight schedule and you think you're going to take 20 minutes to go through or 10 minutes to go through and it's 40, it can mess up everything," Isakson said.
And it's not just in Atlanta.
"But really when Atlanta goes down, the airline system around the country goes down, or at least it's slowed up."
The letter notes the wait times have showed up on Delta's customer surveys.
Meantime, the airport says it's done what it can, even with big campaigns to get people to sign up for TSA pre-check, but they say they're out of options.
Diamant asked the TSA for a response to the airport's ultimatum, but has not received a response so far.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/atlanta-airport-gm-tsa-get-your-act-together-or-yo/nqSTT/
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Looming shortage of aircraft maintenance staff (Australia)
Matthew Dale and Alex Bathgate who have both just completed an apprenticeship with Qantas. Matthew has been given a job and Alex hasn't. Photo: Wolter Peeters
A looming 30 per cent global shortage of trained aircraft maintenance workers will hit Australia hard, a new University of NSW study has found.
The university's business school has completed a five-year research project which reveals the global workforce shortage will emerge within 10 years.
It warns that the Asia Pacific region will be particularly hard hit and stresses Australia has an urgent need to help meet the shortfall.
"This means moving quickly to rebuild both aircraft maintenance and maintenance training industries by 2020, to permit Australia to handle a high proportion of its own needs across the civilian airline, general aviation and
defence sectors," the report says.
Since 2007, the offshoring of aircraft heavy maintenance has raised concerns about safety and the loss of technical capability, export revenue and employment. The researchers said it was feared the heavy maintenance
industry was going the way of other Australian industries, including car manufacturing. However, unlike car making, much of Australia's aircraft maintenance cannot be sent offshore.
"A crisis in the supply of aircraft maintenance skills at a global level is a major challenge, which will increasingly affect the viability of offshoring," the report says.
The researchers have called for an urgent review of the system of safety oversight of offshored maintenance, including international regulatory foundations.
"Australia has allowed its training system to run down, with enrolments in certain vital categories at their lowest since statistics have been collected, raising concerns that qualifications are not meeting international standards,"
the report says.
Ian Hampson, Associate Professor from the School of Management at the UNSW Business School, speaking on behalf of the research team, said he was concerned Australia's training system was not
producing enough licensed aircraft engineers."
The Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union is currently in a dispute with Qantas over the employment of 20 newly graduated aircraft maintenance apprentices. Qantas says it has offered 18 jobs so far.
The union says the future of the new graduates was uncertain in December last year, but 10 have since been offered 18-month contracts in Brisbane. Some say they will need to leave young families behind in Sydney to take
up the positions.
Three apprentices are being offered positions with Jetstar and four part-time jobs in West Australia are also being negotiated.
Alex Bathgate is among the apprentices who do not yet have a position. He thought he was walking into a job for life when he started his aircraft maintenance apprenticeship with Qantas four years ago.
"There was no doubt in our minds that there would be a job at the end of it," he said.
Mr Bathgate, 22, of Hurstville, said he was disappointed to he would not be following in his father's footsteps as a Qantas employee.
His flatmate, Matthew Dale, 23, has accepted an 18-month contract to work in Brisbane after completing his apprenticeship.
"I'm not a desk job sort of person," he said. "I love fixing things and it's a perfect job."
"It's the only job I can see myself doing."
A spokeswoman for Qantas said on Thursday 17 roles for the 20 apprentices had been found and on Friday said the number had increased to 18.
"We've been in regular contact with our graduating engineering apprentices about roles available to them, and we're pleased that the majority have been offered and have accepted jobs. We have been employing apprentices
for 90 years and don't plan to change that, but like most businesses, we can't always guarantee that every single one will get a full time position at the end of it," she said.
Australian Workers' Union Assistant National Secretary Daniel Walton said: "For people who have settled in Sydney and completed a four-year apprenticeship on the assumption of a full-time at the end, to be told that the best
you can get is a part-time job in Perth is extremely disappointing".
AMWU assistant national secretary Glenn Thompson said the union had lodged a dispute in the Fair Work Commission. He said the employment of the apprentices had been threatened last year, but extended until March 1.
The University of NSW project was funded by the Australian Research Council in partnership with unions, industry groups and TAFE.
http://www.smh.com.au/
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European air safety body confirms safety of flights over Black Sea, Crimea remains closed
European Aviation Safety Agency backs resuming commercial flights over Crimea
European aviation safety regulators have confirmed that air carriers can safely plan their routes over some areas of the Black Sea, but the airspace above the territory of Crimea itself remains closed.
That is how Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure commented on the report published by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Wednesday.
"Two air routes - L851 and M856 that run through airspace above western part of the Black Sea can be used when planning flights over the territory," the ministry said in a statement.
"However the airspace over the Crimean peninsula and its territorial waters remains closed," the Infrastructure Ministry said in a statement on media reports about the restoration of flights over Crimea.
In 2014 EASA had advised airlines to avoid the airspace over Crimea because of conflicting jurisdictional claims between Ukraine and Russia. Although Ukraine is the only recognized country with authority over the airspace,
Russia has claimed responsibility for the area.
Even though the jurisdictional dispute still in place, the EASA said in a newly issued Safety Information Bulletin that "a robust framework" was in place for risk mitigation measures and that airlines could use information
provided by Ukraine to plan flights.
"EASA invites airspace users to consider the use of ATS routes L851 and M856 when planning flights within the Simferopol FIR [Flight Information Region], and to take into account the relevant aeronautical information
published by Ukraine," the new bulletin says.
The limited approval of flights isn't just a political victory for Ukraine. Airlines pay fees for flights in foreign airspace, which is typically is used to pay air-traffic controllers and equipment upgrades.
EASA said it would continue to monitor the situation in the region and update safety recommendation if required.
http://uatoday.tv/society/
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Call for papers for ISASI 2016, Iceland, 17 to 20 October 2016
The International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI) will hold their 47th annual seminar at the Grand Hotel Reykjavik, Iceland, from the 17 to 20 October 2016. The seminar theme is:
"Every link is important"
Papers are invited to address this theme in conjunction with other contemporary matters on aviation safety investigation, including recent case studies, new investigation methods and aviation safety trends or developments.
For those interested in presenting a paper, submissions of abstracts are due by 15 April 2016. Abstracts should include a title and up to 300-word summary of the main points of the proposed paper. Please also include your
name(s), affiliation, position, and a brief resume. Submissions, or any inquiries regarding submissions, are to be sent to:
papers-ISASI2016@ESASI.EU.
The panel reviewing the submitted abstracts will consider criteria such as the quality of the paper and the relevance to the seminar theme and air safety investigation. The panel will also endeavour to ensure that a broad
range of topics are covered during the seminar. Decisions on the selected abstracts will be made by the 1 June 2016 and details on the required format of the papers and presentations will be issued at that time. Presenters
will be required to submit their papers by 1 August 2016.
Further information on ISASI16 is available at www.esasi.eu/isasi-2016.
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Fewer flights out of Tulsa expected due to pilot shortage
In 2015, airlines were seeking 4,000 pilots, but were only able to hire 2,000 from among 12,000 applicants. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
Airlines will not restore successful summer flights with high passenger load factors from Tulsa to two cities this summer.
The fewer flights are due to the lack of pilots, said Jeff Mulder, director of the city's airports.
Tulsa is not alone. Among the cities reporting the same problem are Peoria, Illinois, Elmira, New York and Tyler, Texas said Mulder, who is also chairman of the American Association of Airport Executives composed of more
than 5,000 members from small general aviation fields to the nation's largest.
Mulder said United Airlines will not resume the Tulsa-to-Washington, D.C. flight it operated with success last year and Delta Air Lines will halt its summertime flight to Minneapolis for the same reason, he said.
Congressional action several years ago combined with retirements - an estimated 16,000 by the nation's four largest airlines by 2022 - is generating the shortage.
In an effort to boost airline safety, Congress increased the amount of hours a pilot needed to fly before being certified by the Federal Aviation Administration as an air transport pilot.
It went from 250 flight hours to 1,500, an increase of 500 percent, before an airline could put a new pilot in the right, or co-pilot's, seat, Mulder said.
The added hours not only increase the time it takes before someone can be certified, but also increases the cost of learning to fly.
In 2015, Mulder said airlines were seeking 4,000 pilots but were only able to hire 2,000 from among 12,000 applicants.
Both Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, which has been training pilots in Tulsa since 1929, and ATP, which operates in Tulsa and a number of other cities, said it can take as long as three years to be airline flight
eligible.
Flight training costs can range from $50,995 to $73,995, depending on a number of variables, ATP said on its website.
In the legislation lengthening the amount of flight time for entry airline pilots, Congress granted an exemption to those trained by the military to 750 hours and 1,000 hours at four-year universities, Mulder said.
Regional airlines are the most affected as they hire the most pilots at the beginning of their airline careers and serve the small and medium-sized communities, which the association said are feeling the brunt of the shortage.
More than 30 cities have lost air service since 2013, according to the association. Communities that lose air service or have it reduced "often face severe economic repercussions," the association said.
Under agreements between a number of airlines and both Spartan and ATP, their pilot graduates have access to early job interviews and possible reimbursement of some tuition.
JetBlue and some regional airlines have developed proposals for their own flight training programs, but are stymied by the earlier legislation that Mulder said does not specifically mention airlines.
Lufthansa, the German airline, has been training its own pilots along with those for other airlines, for years in the U.S.
In a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the House committee of transportation and infrastructure and its aviation subcommittee, the association asked that a similar exemption be granted for flight training by
airlines. The letter was signed by officials of nearly 100 airports including Los Angeles, Denver and Minneapolis, including Mulder.
The airline executives would like to see the committee consider the flight training issue in legislation to reauthorize the FAA, but Mulder said that does not seem likely as it concentrates its efforts on privatization of the agency's
air traffic control operations.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/
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Subject: Additional Training Courses Available at 2016 CHC Safety & Quality Summit
People planning to attend the 2016 CHC Safety & Quality Summit now have the opportunity to receive additional training and certification by registering for pre- and post-summit training courses which begin April 01.
This year's pre- and post-summit training courses include:
Pre-Summit:
* Accident Investigation Analysis (April 01-03)
* Human Factors Analysis Classification System (HFACS, April 02-03)
Post-Summit:
* BSI ISO 9001: 2015 Internal Quality Systems Auditor (April 07-09)
* BSI ISO 9001: 2015 Lead Auditor Add-on (April 10)
* Root Cause Analysis (April 07-09)
* Bowtie in Aviation Training (April 07-08)
Registration and course details are available online at www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com.
Registration for the summit and courses can be done at the same time by selecting "Delegate" at the registration page. To attend only the pre- or post-summit courses, choose "Pre/Post Summit Course" when registering.
This annual, not for profit event is hosted by CHC Helicopter, the operating company of CHC Group Ltd. (OTCQX: HELIF). Platinum sponsors include Heli-One, AgustaWestland, Sikorsky, AIG, Chaucer, Swiss Re Corporate
Solutions, Talbot Underwriting Ltd. and Willis.
About CHC
CHC Helicopter is a leader in enabling customers to go further, do more and come home safely, including oil and gas companies, government search-and-rescue agencies and organizations requiring helicopter maintenance,
repair and overhaul services through the Heli-One segment. The company has a fleet of more than 220 aircraft and operates on six continents.
Contact Information:
SUMMIT
Irina Sakgaev
Safety & Quality Applications Specialist
CHC Helicopter
+1.604.232.7302
summit@chc.ca
MEDIA
Liam Fitzgerald
Communications Advisor
+1.778.999.2923
Liam.Fitzgerald@chc.ca
INVESTORS
Laura Campbell
Director, Investor Relations
+1.604.232.7316
Laura.Campbell@chc.ca
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UW scientists team up with Big Oil to develop renewable jet fuel
Nat Eagan explains explains the process of turning biomass into fuel. Eagan has interests in engineering and sustainability.
UW College of Engineering
Low oil prices are restraining the ability of renewable energy technologies to compete, but work forges ahead on alternatives to petroleum-based fuels.
And Big Oil is helping to find some of those alternatives.
In one project among several around the nation, ExxonMobil is working with researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on technology to bring down the cost of renewable diesel and jet fuel.
Researchers led by George Huber, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at UW-Madison, are working with ExxonMobil on the $600,000 project. The funding and partnership follow Huber's finding that biomass can
be converted into fuel using much less costly enablers.
Huber's work focuses on advances in chemistry that use metals as a catalyst to convert the sugars broken down from plants into the molecular equivalent of transportation fuels.
In the past, Huber and his team of researchers have worked with precious metals such as platinum.
But in the work that attracted ExxonMobil's attention, "the new catalysts use nonprecious metals like nickel and cobalt, which are over 1,000 times cheaper," Huber said. "We are getting similar results with the less expensive
catalysts."
Cheaper is important because making renewable fuels competitive with petroleum is a tall order given how far crude oil prices have fallen.
The drop in crude oil prices from more than $100 per barrel two years ago to less than $30 of late has helped consumers in the form of prices at the pump below $1.50 a gallon or home heating costs at their lowest levels since
the turn of the century.
But it doesn't help folks who are working on technologies to find more climate-friendly alternatives to petroleum.
"The challenge is to make biomass-derived fuels cost-competitive with petroleum-derived diesel fuels," said Huber, who is affiliated with the Wisconsin Energy Institute at UW-Madison. "It's definitely very hard for second-
generation biofuels to be competitive with jet fuel at current prices."
Huber is a former student of and now a colleague of Jim Dumesic, who developed a chemical conversion process for creating fuels from plant sugars more than 15 years ago.
That led to the formation by Dumesic of Madison-based Virent Energy in 2001.
For their accomplishments - most significantly how many times their research has been cited by other scientists - both Dumesic and Huber were recently named as "highly cited researchers" for the year 2015.
Finding the next big thing starts in the lab.
Researchers at UW are working closely with ExxonMobil scientists to build a stronger understanding of the basic chemical transformations that occur during biomass conversion into diesel and jet fuels.
The nitty-gritty work in Huber's lab involves tests of different cheaper catalysts, such as nickel, to see how efficiently it can break down the biomass and convert it into something that can be made into a fuel.
Participating in the project is Nat Eagan, a graduate student working toward a doctorate.
Eagan began working in Huber's lab last year, looking to apply his chemical engineering degree and an interest in sustainability and renewable energy.
"It just seemed like the best place that I could use those skills for helping out sustainability and making a big impact in biofuels," he said.
Eagan knows that given the current low crude oil prices this is a long-term play.
"But inevitably we will have issues with petroleum-based fuels, and we will always be able to grow biomass. And now we don't have to compete with food crops in order to use it."
Of course, with renewable fuels, nothing is happening overnight. Plenty of companies have seen challenges scaling up their technology, Huber said.
The road to bringing products to market has been a long one for Madison-based Virent and recently resulted in it getting involved with a Texas-based petroleum company.
Virent last month announced a strategic alliance with Tesoro Corp. of San Antonio to work together on product development that could lead to Tesoro producing renewable fuels from existing refineries it has in California or
elsewhere on the West coast.
Virent has seen interest in its technology, receiving venture funding and support from the likes of Royal Dutch Shell, Honda and Cargill over the years.
However, it's been a bit of a slog. The company has trimmed its staff, scaling back its focus on transportation fuels while it narrowed its focus on renewable chemicals - notably its partnership with Coca-Cola Co. on plant-based
bottles.
Just as chemicals and fuels come out of a petroleum refinery, so must chemicals and fuels come out of a nonpetroleum refinery, Virent CEO Lee Edwards has maintained.
With oil prices low, partnering with a company like Tesoro - which has refineries already built - can help bring Virent's renewable fuels to market in a cheaper way than building a new refinery, he said.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/plugged_in
Facebook: www.fb.me/JSBusiness
http://www.jsonline.com/
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Boeing wins $450 million jet order from PNG's national carrier
Air Niugini, the national carrier of Papua New Guinea, has ordered four Boeing (BA.N) 737 Max jets worth $450 million at list price, the airline and Boeing said at the Singapore Airshow on Friday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-singapore-airshow-airniugini-idUSKCN0VS09I
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MU-2 Pilot's Review of Proficiency (PROP) Training
April 1-2, 2015
Dallas, TX
April 15 - 16, 2016
Tucson, AZ
April 29 - 30, 2016
Covington, KY
Click Here To Register!
www.turbineair.com
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RESEARCH SURVEY
MENTAL HEALTH & FLYING SURVEY
Hi, my name is Daniel Danczyk. I am soliciting participation in my survey on mental health and flying. If you are involved in seeing pilots with mental health or substance abuse issues, or are involved in their cases, please
complete my anonymous survey (link below). On average, completion takes no more than 5-7 minutes. You do not need to be a clinician to participate; I am looking for anyone that is involved in the medical treatment or
certification of pilots, whether they are doctors, airline employees assisting with monitoring, private consultants, HIMS participants, government, or other experts. Below the survey link is a more detailed description of my
study including consent and contact information. Thank you so much for your time!
Daniel Danczyk, MD
Fellow in Aerospace Medicine
AME/Flight Surgeon/Pilot/Psychiatrist
Mental Health and Flying Survey
https://src.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0xLGAkp4CAtv36d
STUDY/CONSENT INFORMATION
IRB #: 15-008911
Mayo Clinic: Office for Human Research Protection
Protocol Title: Airline transport pilots and mental health: A Comparison of the medical certification process between the U.S. and various European countries.
Principal Investigator: Lawrence Steinkraus, MD
You are being asked to participate in a research study about pilots and their mental health. The purpose of this research is to study how mental health medical certification is processed for pilots in their respective country. You
are being invited to participate because you are involved in some aspect of their aeromedical-mental health certification.
If you agree to participate you will be asked to complete an online anonymous survey questionnaire. This will take no more than 10-15 minutes of your time. No information will be recorded about you other than your country
of origin. Confidentiality will be maintained by NOT being able to trace back your responses to you. In other words, your survey response will be assigned a random number for tracking/statistical purposes but cannot be
traced back to you. You will receive no payment for your participation.
There are no known risks to you from taking part in this research study. You may refuse to answer any question(s) that you do not wish to answer.
The benefits which may reasonably be expected to result from this research study are to improve the process for mental health medical certification of pilots in your country.
Please understand your participation is voluntary and you have the right to withdraw your consent or discontinue participation at any time without penalty. Your submission of the survey questionnaire signifies your consent to
participate. Moreover, your current or future medical care at the Mayo Clinic will not be jeopardized if you choose not to participate.
If you have any questions about this research study you can contact my co-investigator, Dr. Daniel Danczyk, at danczyk.daniel@mayo.edu. If you have any concerns, complaints, or general questions about research or your
rights as a participant, please contact the Mayo Institutional Review Board (IRB) to speak to someone independent of the research team at 507-266-4000 or toll free at 866-273-4681.
Curt Lewis